The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-03-16

wide world equal to those that Mr. Hop
kins told, and as for visit to his
house-why, any little boy or girl who
was fortunate enough to receive an in
vitation would leave breakfast, dinner
or supper untasted, so eager would they
be to get there. Perhaps the gum-drops
that were always to be found in Mr..
Hopkins right-hand pocket, and the
stick-cinnamon that lay or stood criss-
cross in his left-hand pocket, and the
long, thin, curious fruit-crackers that
always filed the blue jar on the top
shelf of his corner cupboard had some
thing to do with the children's lack of
appetite for home substantials. AT any
rate, nobody was ever known to be
hungry while staying under Mr. Hop
kins' roof, and such good times as his
visitors always had! One bright Janu-
airy day, when the roads were white
with snow, Mr.. Hopkins drove by the
school-house just as dozen or more
of the smallest scholars were hocking
out. His span of black horses were at
tached to very queer-looking vehicle;
it looked like a great box upon runners.
When Mr.. Hopkins saw the children
he stopped and shouted: "Want a
sleigh-ride, youngsters? Come onln
They needed no urging, but rushed
over the snow, breathless with haste
and delight, to Mr.. Hopkins side. And
then, in twinkling, they were dropped
one by one into the deep box, and the
horses started off at trot down the
road. What queer place they were
in, to be surel All they could see was
ho e1y rlo 1,a nc
this strange sleigh were so high that
not even Polly Riggs, the tallest of
them all, could reach finger to the
top, and there was not the least mite of
a crack to peer through. But did the
children mind ii? Not bit! For
were they not going sleighing with Mr..
Hopkins? Pretty soon an odd thing
happened. 1t seemed to be raining
gum-drops---at least they fell on caps,
hoods and mufilers, and into one or two
upturned faces. What scrambling
there was, and then, just as everybody
else was munching sassafras or winter
green or lemon-favored sweets, little
Bob Mallett piped out, 81 amt got
any!" In minute came another
shower, and this time Bob caught four
drops in his red-mittened hands and all
were satisfied. A man who stood in
front of the post-office saw the queer
looking sled coming down the road, and
with more curiosity than politeness
called out, "What have you got there,
Mister?" Quick came the reply, "As
fine a lot of pigs as you ever saw. Not
for sale, but you can come and take a
look at them if you like" If the man
had not been a stranger in Kerrycook
or if he had seen the twinkle in Mr.
Hopkins brown eyes, he would hardly
have waded through the snow with
such haste in order to get peep at the
pigs which were not for sale. But ovel
to the sled he hurried, only to meet the
gaze of fourteen pairs of very wide-oper
eyes as he looked down upon them
What shout went up from the by
standers!-for one or two had wit
messed the start from the school-house
and had whispered the fact to the
others. AS for the curious stranger, he
evidently enjoyed joke, for he good.
naturally joined in the merriment
And the children laughed and screamed
and Mr.. Hopkins shook all over, and
his eyes twinkled more than ever. AnG
the story was told that noon at nearly
every dinner-table in Kerrycook, and
everybody said, What funny mar
Mr.. Hopkins is"-Emma c. Do,cd, i,
| the Homestead